The present invention relates generally to the measuring, mapping, and transfer of data from virtual space to real space. In particular, this invention relates to a system and method for real-time mapping and transfer of coordinate position data from a virtual computer-aided-design (CAD) workspace to the real workspace.
Constructing a building or parts of a building in the wrong location is a non-trivial problem. The process of properly positioning the physical layout of a structure in real space can be one of the most difficult and error prone phases of any construction project. As a result, an entire profession, construction surveying, has developed to resolve the problems regarding this issue.
Structural layout techniques developed and refined through the years have served the construction industry well, however, those techniques remain error prone and very time consuming. The errors and extensive time required to complete the layout process are generally due to inaccurate mapping and transfer of data from the construction documents to the actual construction workspace.
The individuals in charge of the layout process usually begins by making a series of offsets from known control points or xe2x80x9csurveyed-inxe2x80x9d points using traditional survey instruments and techniques. In general, the process is styled xe2x80x9cStaking-outxe2x80x9d. On a typical project, there are literally hundreds of points that must be mapped, transferred, and verified in this fashion during all phases of construction. The process of mapping and transferring points from the construction documents to the construction workspace requires reading and interpreting a layout plan, interpreting the layout information and mapping location required with respect to the known control points, calculating the offsets, and locating the points in the work space through physical measurements. Studies of the construction environment have shown that measurement and plan reading and interpretation uses between six and eight percent of the man-hours on a project.
This process becomes even more difficult when one is trying to locate points which are not in the line of sight or completely occluded from the surveying equipment. The surveyor must move the survey equipment several times in order to make the accurate measurements of the that particular point. Conventional surveying techniques costs the construction industry a significant amount in terms of resources as well as worker productivity.
The construction industry would benefit from some means of shortening and simplifying the mapping and transfer of construction data involved in the basic layout of a structure. A means of directly transferring information from the construction document to the real workspace would be ideal. It would provide the workers in charge of layout a means of projecting the designed structure onto the real workspace with a minimal amount of calculation and interpretation.
The present invention provides a system and method for measuring, mapping, and transfer of data from virtual space to real space.
More specifically, the present invention provides a system and method for real-time mapping and transfer of coordinate position data directly from a virtual computer-aided-design (CAD) workspace to the real workspace. The system and method for real-time mapping and transfer of coordinate position data from a virtual CAD workspace to the real workspace comprises a computer containing a memory and a processor for storing and executing a mapping computer program. The mapping computer program receives coordinate position data, prompts a user to locate desired virtual points on the virtual computer model displayed on a computer display and map them to a corresponding point in the real workspace.
The present invention provides an important technical advantage by providing a system and method which eliminates time and man power needed to obtain numerous field calculations and measuring points in the real workspace in order to map and transfer data from virtual CAD space directly to the real workspace.
The present invention provides another important technical advantage by providing a system and method for obtaining the location of data points in the line of sight of a single instrument.
The present invention provides another important technical advantage by providing a system and method for real-time mapping of data points in three dimensional space from the virtual CAD workspace to the real workspace.
The present invention provides another important technical advantage by providing a system and method for mapping single points with an occluded view from the coordinate data acquisition device, but visible to a user in the line of sight of the measuring device.
The present invention provides another important technical advantage by providing a comprehensible virtual visual image of the real workspace to the layout person to aid in organizing the work.